Crafty Christmas!

We did alot of crafts this Christmas! Since I'm not going to save all of them ( bad mommy! but Peter Walsh is my guru ) I took pictures.

We made this wreath at the Hammes Bookstore open house.


This is Maya's sugar plum fairy crown that she wore for her school pageant.


This is an ornament Maya gave me for Christmas - she made it at school and presented it to me after her Christmas pageant.


This is a cake-plate that we made at the Hammes Bookstore open house.


Maya made these ornaments at the Adoptive Families Christmas party.


Hammes Bookstore....


Reindeer food that Maya made at Splash Universe.


A nutcracker that Maya made at Field Station.


An ornament that Maya made at the Field Station



Maya made this ornament at the Hammes Bookstore


The kit for this "foamie" Christmas house was in the clearance section at Michael's two years ago. I dragged it out this year and Maya and I and Daddy put it together.

Notre Dame Bookstore Open House

Father Jenkins, the President of Notre Dame, read two Christmas stories to children at the Bookstore today. Then we did crafts - a wreath, stocking ornaments, a needlepoint ornament, and decorating cookies. Santa wasn't there yet, but even the enticement of goody bags didn't convince Maya to wait for him.

Field Station Christmas Program

The Nutcracker was the story for Maya's school program. Our Sugar Plum Fairy was adorable....and so talented ;) Parents and grandparents were invited.... Maya asked us, Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Linda. Aunt Linda couldn't make it, but the rest of us enjoyed the program very much. First, the children marched in like wooden soldiers, then they lined up with their partners and did a dance to the Nutcracker theme. The girls showed us their best ballet moves, the boys re-enacted the swordfight between the soldiers and the mice. After the Nutcracker, they all sat in a circle and sang Christmas carols, ending with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas". Each child had made a present, a sparkly ornament, for someone in their family, Maya gave hers to me! I think it's the best present I've ever received! We went downstairs then for refreshments.

We made a dvd and have enjoyed watching it a few more times.

Wednesday's Fishy Vanenture Day!

It was a "fishy" day! We started at Bass Pro Shop where we saw lots of freshwater fish - like catfish, large mouth bass.... Then we headed to Isla Morada, where a very kind waitress sat us in the Hemingway room - with a great view of the saltwater fish display.

A stop at Marquette Mall for some hat shopping and we finished a fun day.

Splash Universe

We went for a little get-away to Splash Universe in Shipshewanna.

Maya had fun in a large area for kids her age that was only 8 inches deep.


The slide was her favorite thing!




There were activities - like making Reindeer Food.


A little mini-golf....





...hopscotch...






....more golf.....There was a Wii game - and we had fun with Wii Sports.





I wish I'd gotten a picture of our room - there were two sets of adorable bunk beds!

Maya and I are watching Baby Katherine for three days while her babysitter is on vacation. We're havin' a blast....

Countdown to Christmas - Day 9

Maya's Countdown to Christmas present was a Kazoot!

Sorry for the blurry picture...

Christmas Tree!

We found a Christmas tree! After an unsuccessful trip to the tree farm, we went to Chesterton Feed and Garden and found this beautiful Black Hills Spruce.